Thread-spool.



w l I a I I J E. A. ZOBEL.

THREAD SPOOL.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.24,1907.

904,396. Patented Nov. 17,1908.

W/ TNE SSE S N VE N 7'01? EDWARD A- ZDBEL W By W A TTOHNEYS ms NORRISPETERs co, WASNINGTDN, n. c.

EDWARD ANDREW ZOBEL, OF HOLMESVILLE, NEBRASKA THREAD-SPOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application filed. December 24, 1907. Serial No. 407,938.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD ANDREW ZoBnL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Holmesville, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Thread-Spools, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in thread-spools and in carryingout the invention, I utilize what is usually a waste product, namelycorn-cobs, which are particularly useful for the purpose in view oftheir great cheapness and the facility with which they may be worked upinto the finished product.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view illustrating thedivision of a corn-cob into sections suitable for forming spool blanks.Fig. 2 is in part a side View and in part a longitudinal section of aspool blank, showing the manner of boring the same lengthwise. Fig. 3 isa side view (part being broken away) of the spool blank as it appearsafter the body or central part has been reduced and smoothed by removingthe projecting fuzzy portion, and after cement has been applied to thebore. Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4.t of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sideView of the perfected spool, or as the blank appears after coating witha hard cement.

A corn-cob is first divided into sections 1, of the required length, andthe neXt step consists in boring such sections centrally andlongitudinally, this being done by a boring tool 2 as shown in Fig. 2.It is, however, manifest that the cob might be bored its whole lengthbefore division into sections.

The next step is cutting away, and thus removing, the soft fuzzy portionon the cylindrical body, or central part, of the spool blank, so that itpresents the appearance shown in Fig. 3, the body being reduced indiameter and comparatively smooth, while the ends are left of fullthickness and projecting readily beyond the middle 3. Then cement 5, ofa variety that will adhere and harden to the required degree, is appliedin the bore of the spool blank, so as to form a smooth interior coat ofuniform thickness, which is necessary to adapt the finished spool foruse 011 pins, spindles, or other similar supports. The last step iscoating the entire spool blank with calcimine,

which fills the cavities or interstices of the cob and forms a smoothhard coat 6 over the whole exterior, as shown by Fig. 5. This coat maybe applied by dipping the blank in calcimine. The spool is then readyfor use, and forms a cheaper, lighter, and durable substitute for thecommon wooden spool. A slit is formed in one of the enlarged ends of thespool to receive and hold the loose end of the thread.

What I claim is:

As a new and improved article of manufacture, the thread spool formed ofa section of corn cob having a central bore, its body having a smallerdiameter than the ends and the entire exterior having a smooth coat ofcalcimine, as shown and described.

EDWARD ANDREW ZOBEL.

Vitnesses:

GEO. G. COOPER, W'ILL S. FULTON.

